Monthly Archives: November 2014

Eat a healthy breakfast with some lean protein- maybe an egg white and veggie omelet and some fruit.

Skip the bread, it’s just empty calories.

Add lower calorie veggies to your plate. Turnips are a good choice at 51 calories per cup with potatoes ringing in at 214. Check with the host that they are not smothered with butter. Green beans have 44 calories per cup, much better than the casserole which has 341 calories and 22 grams of fat.

Avoid soda and alcoholic beverages. Instead have water or an herbal tea, maybe apple or pumpkin spice. Sweeten with a little honey or stevia. For a lower calories alcoholic beverage, try a white wine spritzer. It has about 96 calories. Add 4 oz. wine and 2 oz. club soda and a lemon for garnish.

For dessert, just have a little.

Your Plan for Friday: Kick up your cardio today! Go for a long run, bike ride or walk. Enjoy 3 servings of fruit today. Apples, berries and grapefruit are good choices.

Have a large green salad for one meal today, 2 meals would be better. Drink at least half your body weight in ounces of water.

Tired of sitting in your chair dreaming about the body you could have if you didn’t spend all your time at work? Try these exercises to slim and tighten your abs!

The abdominal squeeze: All you have to do is sit on the edge of your office chair with your feet flat on the floor. Then with your spine straight, pull in your stomach as much as you can and hold the squeeze.

The elbow to knee: Begin by raising your left arm overhead and then lifting your right knee into the air while bringing your left elbow down and across your body toward your knee. Repeat on the opposite side.

The seated oblique twist: Place a pointer stick, ruler or broom stick across your upper back and shoulders. It’s held with your elbows bent at your sides, palms forward. Sit up tall on the edge of your chair with your knees bent and feet on the floor. You can also bend your elbows and place palms on top of your shoulders to do the exercise without the stick. Simply rotating your spine from side-to-side is all you need to do for the exercise, though it is important to keep your abs tight as in the abdominal squeeze exercise. You can also rotate to one direction and then back to center first before working the other side.

What is a vegan diet? Is it healthy?
A vegan diet is based on only eating plant-based foods. This means that any meat, poultry, fish, milk, eggs, cheese and honey are all avoided.
Well-balanced vegan diets have been approved for all stages of life, including pregnant and lactating women, children, adolescents, the elderly population, and competitive athletes. These diets are generally considered healthy and wholesome as long as you are still receiving the proper nutrients that are being lost by not consuming animal products. The types of nutrients generally lost through a poorly planned vegan diet in include calcium, omega 3 fatty acids, vitamin B12, and iron. Losing these essential nutrients can cause serious health problems, but can be avoided as long as your vegan diet is properly planned.
Here are some quick facts on the importance of these nutrients and how to keep them while on a vegan diet:
• Vitamin B12: Produces and maintains cells, maintains the nervous system, and helps create DNA.
• Calcium: Keeps bones strong, expands blood to muscles and vessels
• Iron: Transports oxygen, regulates cell growth and differentiation, integral part of many proteins and enzymes
• Omega 3 Fatty Acids: Protects against atherosclerosis, acts as an anti-inflammatory
In order to keep from losing these nutrients that are crucial in order to live a healthy lifestyle, you can eat:
• Wheat: Breakfast cereals, yeast extract, fortified oatmeal/cereal
• Vegetable Substitutes: Vegetable stock, veggie burgers,
• Soy Products: Soy milk, tofu, soy beans, soy nuts
• Beans: Lentils, any kind of beans, chickpeas
To conclude, yes, a vegan diet is extremely healthy. Research has shown that people who follow a vegetarian diet are at a lower risk for obesity, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, diverticulosis, renal disease, some cancers (including lung and breast), and gallstones. Also, cholesterol is only found in animal foods, so vegan diets are completely cholesterol-free. This diet focuses on fresh, unprocessed foods and will help with many future health problems in the long run.

Lower blood pressure with Beetroot Juice
Beet juice is high in nitrates which the body converts to nitric oxide. In 1998, the Nobel Prize for medicine was awarded for discovering the importance of Nitric Oxcide for cardiovascular health. Studies show elevated levels of nitric oxide can improve cardiovascular health and protect blood vessels from vascular aging . It can also increase athletic endurance and performance.

Beets are rich in vitamin C and also contain folate, potassium, fiber and antioxidants.

Beet juice can help lower blood pressure and improve stamina. One to two cups of beetroot juice a day have been shown to have a significant effect for lowering blood pressure. You may want to begin with a quarter cup and work up to a higher dosage. You can purchase beet juice in the organic section of many supermarket or make it in your juicer. Be prepared that the color of your stool may turn red.